


Everything Burns

by PipTheShipper



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Multi, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-10 11:26:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6982786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PipTheShipper/pseuds/PipTheShipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was on his back, staring up at the sky, and it was still so beautiful, which seemed ridiculous. His chest was slick with blood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this happened.

The sky was on fire. Not literally, of course, but it might as well have been. Burnt orange and vivid pink streaked across the dark gray clouds, and nearby, Tony could still smell the burning remains of whatever building that had collapsed during the battle. He lounged on a crushed car, the suit detached around him, breathing in and appreciating the beautiful setting. There was something ethereal about the aftermath of destruction, when the dust finally settled and the flames died down.

Nearby, the team was relaxing while they waited for the ambulances to arrive. Sirens wailed in the distance. Clint was perched on a pile of rubble, his arms folded around his drawn-up knees. Natasha was stretched out beside him, seeming content to just be still. Thor and Bruce were sitting side-by-side on the hood of a truck, their feet swinging back and forth off the edge. And then there were the soldiers, standing a couple of feet away.

Tony glanced over at the Captain and Bucky, and relished the combination of love and pain that shot through his chest. As beautiful as the sky was, it could never compare to them. The smoke reflected in Bucky’s azure eyes as he gazed out over the worn battlefield. Ashes were smeared across Steve’s face, and his lips were reddened and parted ever so slightly. The fading light danced enchantingly across their perfect features, and Tony couldn’t help but let his gaze linger a little bit longer.

Bucky’s shiny hand laced together with Steve’s, and the two turned towards each other. Their lips met in a slow, passionate kiss that radiated love. Nobody had been surprised when the two announced they were dating, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. It sucked when you fell in love with two amazing people, who were perfect for each other. Their love had survived almost a century of tribulations, and there was no way in hell Tony could ever come between that. Not that he’d want to. He wasn’t that delusional.

Although, even with the pain, it was the perfect day. Some might think Tony weird for that, considering they were all bone-tired from the battle, but that simply meant that he would be able to sleep tonight without torment. His muscles were already sore, but it was the second-best kind, the absolute best being the soreness that came after really good sex. But the point was: they were all alive. They had survived, and won the battle, and everything was okay. The sun would set today, and it would inevitably rise tomorrow. And that comforted him.

Steve turned then, and those eyes flitted over to Tony. Bucky glanced over, presumably to see what Steve was looking at, and now Tony had two super soldiers locking eyes with him. The engineer flushed lightly in embarrassment at having been caught staring, so he just lifted a corner of his lips and shrugged. Steve smiled softly in response, causing butterflies to explode in Tony’s stomach. The Captain opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Tony would never figure out what it was. At that moment, Tony heard a deafening pop, and then pain exploded in his chest.

He had never felt anything like it before. It was undeniably the worst thing he had ever gone through, including Afghanistan, and he collapsed to the ground from the sheer force behind the gunshot. Something was ringing, and it took Tony a second to realize that it was his ears. He was on his back, staring up at the sky, and it was still so beautiful, which seemed ridiculous. His chest was slick with blood.

Steve and Bucky reached him first, and they dropped to their knees beside him, their faces horrified. “Tony!” Steve shouted, and Tony grimaced in pain.

He heard another gunshot, and then Natasha and Clint were there. Bruce and Thor arrived last, and the whole team was now kneeling around him, sporting various expressions between panicked and horrified. Bucky had his hands pressed against the wound, his eyes wild and his lips moving in a constant stream of protests. Steve was running his hands through Tony’s hair, looking desperate. Tony sucked in a shaky breath, his eyes watering and his chest gurgling with blood.

"You'd better not fucking die, Stark," Natasha warned, and her green eyes were watery when she glared at him. He managed a weak laugh, and winced from the pain. God, it hurt so much.

“Get an ambulance here _now_!” Bucky shouted at Clint, who immediately pulled out his phone.

“Tony? Hey, Tony! Look at me!” Steve commanded, and Tony did. He had never seen the Cap that scared before, and that comforted him in a strange way. Steve cared about him, at least. It was also alarming, because Tony understood that he was going to die, and he wanted them to be okay after he was gone.

“S-Steve,” Tony croaked, weakly lifting his hand to the Cap’s face. Steve leaned in so that Tony’s palm was resting on his cheek, and Tony noticed that his hand was covered in blood and he was staining the Cap’s skin. Those azure eyes swept over him, his mouth open in horror. Tony saw him swallow.

“Listen, you’re going to be fine,” Steve told him in a voice that was not breaking so much as already broken. “You’re going to be fine, Tony, you’re fine. Please, please, hang on, the ambulance is coming, I got you. I got you.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Tony croaked, because he should have seen it coming. Should have kept his suit on. Shouldn’t have let his guard down.

“Don’t speak, save your energy,” Bucky told him, his jaw tight with strain. “Stay awake, you hear me? You’re going to be fine.” Tony focused his gaze on the ex-assassin, and he saw that he was scared too. Tony blinked, his eyes staying shut a second longer than they should have. “Hey!” Bucky barked. “Stay awake! Dammit, Tony, you’re going to be fine!” And that was when he broke down and sobbed. “Please, please, you have to be okay, you can’t leave us!”

But Tony knew that he had to. He couldn’t stay with them, no matter how much he wanted to. He saw now that he should never had hid how he felt. Their anger was a small price to pay compared to the weight in his heart now. He couldn’t die without telling them.

“I love you,” he choked out, his vision darkening around the edges. He heard shouting, and desperate hands scrambled across his chest, in his hair, stroking his face, but it was all fading out. He looked up to the sky, and it was on fire, and it was so beautiful. And he smiled a small smile before everything went dark.

 

~~~

 

Shockingly, impossibly, against all odds, Tony opened his eyes. He was in a room, with the curtains drawn and a small amount of sunlight streaming in from the window. He was disoriented for a moment, wondering where the hell he was and what had happened. And then it all came rushing back. The battle. The gunshot. Dying. He bolted upright in alarm, then winced in pain as his whole body protested.

“Easy,” a kind voice cautioned. Tony turned to see a tall man, with swept back dark hair, smiling at him. Tony inhaled sharply, gazing around the room. He looked down to see that he was shirtless, with white bandages wrapping around his chest, and a soft gray blanket was draped over his lower half.

“Where…where am I?” Tony asked, his voice rough from disuse. The man shrugged and sat down on the edge of the bed. Tony figured he should be more worried about this stranger in the room with him, but he was more curious than anything. This time, he honestly thought that he was dead.

“My apartment,” the man said simply, as if that explained everything. “Here, have some water.” He held out a tall glass of water, and only then did Tony realize how thirsty he was. He took it from the man and drank greedily, only stopping to catch his breath when he was finished. The man took the glass back, and set it on the bedside table.

“Who are you?” Tony questioned. The man turned back to him, his hazel eyes gentle and calming. There was something about him that made Tony immediately comfortable, despite the mysteriousness surrounding the situation.

“My name is Enzo,” he answered in a deep tenor. “I’m the guy who brought you back to life.” Tony’s eyes widened, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

“What?” he breathed, shocked and simultaneously disbelieving. Enzo smiled.

“Don’t be so surprised, Tony,” he chastised, surprising the engineer with the casual use of his name. “You’ve seen weirder things. I have abilities that are beyond the realm of what is considered normal for humans. I can heal the dead, but only in very special circumstances. You fit those circumstances, so here you are.” Enzo paused, as if giving Tony time to process. Then he smiled wryly. “No need to thank me.”

“How- how long was I…?”

“A little over a week,” Enzo replied, immediately understanding what Tony meant. “It takes a while to revive the dead, believe it or not. Your friends had to suffer a little bit first.”

“What do you mean?” Tony asked, his gut twisting unpleasantly at the thought of his family suffering.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t do anything to them,” Enzo reassured him. “They just needed time to reflect on your death, time to let it sink in. My powers, while incredible, have limitations.”

“What are they?” Tony asked curiously. “How am I here?”

“I don’t deal with death exactly, per se. I deal with the soul,” Enzo began, looking lost in thought. “To put it in simple terms, Tony, every human being that walks the earth has a soul. And the soul forms connections with other souls. Souls are what feel pain, and joy, and grief. I can feel the soul, and I can bring it back from whatever it goes after it leaves the body. But only if that soul still has strong enough bonds to souls that are still on earth.”

“And my- my soul had…bonds?” Tony verified hesitantly. Enzo nodded approvingly, looking strangely pleased and reverent.

“You, Tony, had a very strong pull,” Enzo informed him softly, “which is how you came to my attention. You had a number of bonds that were connecting you to the living, and so your soul was not at rest. The people you are connected to are in pain. An immense amount.” Tony winced at that.

“Are they okay?” He dreaded Enzo’s answer.

“Depends on what you mean by ‘okay,’ Tony. Their souls are dimming. It happens when people suffer a loss. That is why most people cannot be brought back after their souls depart. The souls they are connected to are not strong enough to draw on. However, you had nine soul bonds. The amount of pain…” Enzo actually shuddered.

“Whoa,” Tony said softly. He had no idea that many people cared about him.

“Whoa is right,” Enzo muttered, still seeming disturbed. “Anyways, so I brought your soul back to your body with the help of that pain, and the help of those bonds. If you didn’t have as many connections, it wouldn’t have been possible. So when you return to your friends, Tony, understand that they are what brought you back. Remember that next time you feel like pushing them away.”

Tony was stunned into silence. His head was whirling with all of the information, and he wasn’t sure if he could believe it or not. But he was here, wasn’t he? He had been dead, and now he was not. And in a weird sort of way, Enzo’s explanation made sense. He decided to just go with it.

“So I’m back for good?” he asked, not daring to hope. Enzo smiled and nodded.

“Yes,” he replied, causing Tony’s heart to soar. “And from what it looks like, you have a lot of explaining to do to your friends. I would go swiftly, Tony. They’ve been waiting long enough already.”  

“Do you know who the nine people are?” Tony asked. Enzo shrugged.

“Sure. Do you want to know?” Tony nodded before he could tell himself that this was a bad idea. But he wanted to know exactly who saved his life. To his surprise, Enzo moved forward and pressed his hands over Tony’s chest. “I can only see them through you, so as long as you know their names, or nicknames or whatever, I can tell you.”

“Okay,” Tony whispered nervously.

“Alright, let’s see,” Enzo murmured. “A man named Steve.” Tony’s heart stuttered in his chest. “Bucky.” Tony flushed in surprise, and felt slightly light-headed with the knowledge that Steve and Bucky cared about him, and that their souls were connected. “Natasha. Thor. Brucie-Bear?” Enzo was smiling as he said that one.

“Affectionate endearment,” Tony explained with a grin. Enzo shrugged and continued.

“Clint. Rhodey. Pepper. And Fury. What kind of a name is Fury?” Enzo demanded. Tony was shocked. He and Fury had a bond? He felt like dancing with joy. He always knew Fury cared about him! The hard-headed bastard just never showed it, that’s all. Tony smiled.

“He’s sort of my boss,” he told Enzo. “Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD. Probably going to yell at me for getting myself killed.” The thought made him chuckle.

“Sounds like a nice guy,” Enzo remarked with a smirk.

“He is.” There was a pause. “I’d better get going, then.” Enzo just nodded. Tony stood up on wobbly legs, and leaned against the bedside table. He felt like crap, but he was alive. _He was alive_.

“Try not to get shot again, okay?” Enzo asked, handing Tony a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. Tony quickly got dressed.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised, and Enzo helped him to the door. “How close are we to the Avengers Tower?”

“It’s a couple blocks away,” Enzo replied, appraising him carefully. “Think you can make it on foot?”

“Absolutely,” Tony enthused. “I came back from the dead. Pretty sure I can walk a few hundred feet.” This earned him a genuine laugh from Enzo.

“Good man.” Enzo escorted the engineer to the door, handing him a folded up pile of clothes that were resting on a chair near the door. “You were wearing these when you died. Might want to burn ‘em. They’re kinda bloody. And here’s your phone.” Tony placed his hand on the doorknob, then paused, and glanced back.

“Hey, Enzo?” The dark-haired man locked eyes with the engineer. “Thank you.” Enzo just smiled, and retreated back into the apartment. Tony took a deep breath, then stepped outside. The sun was bright and blinding, yet refreshing at the same time.

He tucked the clothes under his arm, and started for home. He had his hoodie up so people wouldn’t recognize him-he didn’t need mass hysteria just yet. And as reached the outside of the tower, it occurred to him that his last words, to Steve and Bucky, were “I love you.” Oh, god. He didn’t honestly think that he was going to make it, so it was okay to say that at the time, because he wouldn’t have to face the disgust on their faces afterwards. He figured he would just be dead.

But he wasn’t. Which- obviously- complicated things. He hesitated, torn between wanting his family back and that strong urge to just run. Never look back, just keep going, and forget about the life he’d built for himself. In fact, he turned on his heel to do just that when Enzo’s words came floating back into his mind: “So when you return to your friends, Tony, understand that they are what brought you back. Remember that next time you feel like pushing them away.”

Enzo was right. Tony couldn’t make the decision for them. He would go back, and then give them the option. If they wanted him gone, he would leave. But if not, then he wasn’t going to let his damn insecurities keep him away from the place he belonged. Tony took a deep breath, and entered the building.

When he stepped inside, the first thing he did was glance up at the ceiling, a habit he couldn’t break no matter how many times he told himself that JARVIS was not in the ceiling.

“J?” he asked hesitantly, and there was a short pause.

“Sir?” JARVIS asked, sounding oddly hesitant. “Is that really you?”

Tony nodded, tears gathering in his eyes. “Yeah, buddy. It’s me.”

“We believed you were dead!” JARVIS replied, sounding upset for an AI. “Sir, how are you not dead?” Tony chuckled, and wiped away the tears.

“Long story, J,” he murmured. “But I’m back.” He inhaled deeply, a smile spreading across his face. “I’m back.”

“Would you like me to notify the others?” JARVIS inquired, and Tony deliberated for a moment before deciding against it. He’d rather just surprise them. A small laugh escaped him when he thought that it would be funny to pretend he was a ghost, but he quickly discarded the idea. Natasha would probably throw a knife into hi jugular if he did that.

“No thanks, buddy. You mind telling me where they are?”

“In the common room, though I must warn you, sir. They have entered a serious state of depression, and most of them have not eaten nor slept within the past 24 hours.” JARVIS’ voice took on a softer tone, and Tony swore under his breath. He didn’t realize it would be that bad. Anxiously, he took the elevator up to the main floor.

When he got off, he heard voices.

+

Steve was broken. There was no other way to put it. Something inside him died the day Tony bled out in his arms, and he knew he would never get it back. It had been the same when he thought Bucky had died falling off the train, only worse somehow. With Bucky, well, at least they both had love, and they knew how the other one felt. Steve had never gotten a chance to tell Tony that he loved him.

And Bucky hadn’t either. They had been planning on asking the beautiful, brilliant engineer out on a date after the battle. What a sick joke that was. And then Tony’s last words… he didn’t know what to make of them. Who had Tony been talking to? For all he knew, it could’ve been Clint, or any one of them. And he would never find out.

Steve wasn’t the only one who broke when Tony died; the rest of them had as well. Natasha had stopped smiling. Clint had stopped pulling pranks. Thor hadn’t eaten a pop tart. Bruce hadn’t stepped foot in the lab. And Bucky…well, Bucky had gone back to the way he was when he first came back. He rarely spoke. His eyes were hollow. And they spent most of their time curled up in each other’s arms, but not making eye contact; the reminder hurt too much.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Natasha suddenly said, her voice empty. Steve glanced up, and met the redhead’s gaze.

“Doing what?” Steve asked, though he already knew.

“Sitting around, being depressed,” she replied, her arms wrapped loosely around her knees, which were drawn up to her chest. “Tony wouldn’t have wanted this.”

“Well,” Bucky murmured, his voice rough with disuse. “He’s dead. What he would have wanted no longer matters.” Steve swallowed, feeling like he had been gutted.

“It does,” Bruce growled. “If we move on, we lose him all over again.”

“He’s already gone, Bruce,” Natasha objected quietly. “He’s dead. Moving on is all we have left. If you had died, would you have wanted Tony to just bury himself?”

“No, of course not,” Bruce retorted. “But it’s different.”

“How?” Thor challenged.

“Because Tony was glue,” Bucky spoke up, and Steve’s gaze slid up to see Bucky, with those hauntingly empty blue eyes. “He held us together. He meant a lot to each of us, because he cared. He treated us like family. He took care of us. It’s his tower, and he invited us all to live here. It’s different because without him…” Bucky inhaled shakily. “It’s empty.”

“Aww, Buck,” a familiar voice drawled. “I didn’t know you cared.” Steve’s head snapped up to find Tony, _Tony_ , standing at the entrance to the living room with an amused smile gracing his lips. Steve felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

“Tony?” Natasha breathed, slowly getting to her feet. Her wide, catlike green eyes were fixed on the engineer, and her lips were parted in shock. There was a collective, sharp inhale.

“In the flesh,” he confirmed, grinning as he spread his arms. “Did you miss me?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it took this long! :( For weeks I haven't been able to get more than like, a page. But I cranked out six more and I'm finally satisfied with it, so here it is! Hope it's worth the wait!

Tony fucking _knew_ he should have called ahead. Maybe then he wouldn’t have found himself in the tightest group hug any small person ever had to endure. Well, _endure_ was a stretch- it was actually really nice being wrapped up in all of them after everything.

Bucky had gotten to him first, as he was closest. He had claimed Tony’s front, crushing the engineer against his chest and immediately breaking into sobs. Steve and Natasha had gotten there next, and they each had gotten a hold on him from either side. Clint and Bruce were both smashed together holding Tony from behind, and that was when Thor came up and grabbed the group as a whole, lifting them into the air.

“Anthony!” he bellowed, his excitement reverberating through the hug. “You’re alive!” Tony managed a smile, crushed as he was.

"Yep,” he got out, wheezing slightly. “Not for long, though, if ya’ll don’t stop crushing my ribs.” Thor immediately set them all down, and the group took a step back to give him room to breathe. Tony leaned down and rested his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. The soldiers stepped forward and placed their hands on his arm and back.

“Are you alright?” Steve asked, sounding slightly panicked and very relieved. Tony huffed out a laugh.

“Better than ever, Cap,” he assured the blond super soldier, and managed to straighten himself out.

“What the hell happened, Stark?” Natasha demanded gruffly. Tony just turned to her with a smirk. Her green eyes were puffy and bloodshot, but she was fighting back a smile. He knew her well enough to know that she was immensely happy to see him. Plus, there was the whole bit where their souls were bonded and whatnot.

“I died,” he quipped, raising his eyebrows. “Didn’t you get the memo?” Bucky made a harsh sound in the back of his throat, and when Tony turned in surprise to stare at him, his blue eyes were so full of anguish that Tony froze. The breath hitched in his throat. “Buck?” he asked hesitantly. “You okay?”

“How are you alive?” he choked out, his hands- both flesh and metal- reaching out and grabbing Tony by the arms. “You bled out in my arms!” His voice was so full of pain that Tony flinched. “What, was this some kind of sick joke?” Tony wrenched out of Bucky’s grip, brought to anger by the question.

“Fuck you, Barnes,” Tony spat. “What kind of guy do you think I am?”

“Tony, maybe you want to lower your voice a little,” Clint warned, flicking his eyes purposefully over to Bruce, who was looking a little green. Tony immediately deflated and walked over to Bruce, putting his hand on the scientist’s arm and peering up into those dark eyes that were tinted green around the edges.

“Brucie-bear, you good?” he asked, trying to keep his voice light. “I promise it wasn’t a joke, okay? I wouldn’t do that to you guys. I really did kick the bucket.”

“Please, tell me how you’re here then,” Bruce whispered. “Otherwise I’m going to lose my shit because you’re a robot or something.” Tony laughed.

“I wish,” he joked, causing Bruce to chuckle. “No, unfortunately for our poor science-y brains, I was kinda brought back via magic.”

“Magic?” Thor asked, looking confused. “Loki’s magic?”

“No, no, Loki is the guy who _wants_ me dead, remember?” Tony said with a wry smile. “As it turns out, the guy who did magic-y shit on me was a complete stranger. But apparently you guys were so sad he just had to bring me back to make it stop.”

“What?” Clint asked.

“It’s a really fucking long story, but the point is I’m back,” Tony said. “And I don’t plan on getting shot again anytime soon.”

“Ever,” Bucky growled, livid. Tony nodded hastily.

“Right,” he confirmed. “Never ever.”

“So, who was it?” Natasha asked.

“Some guy named Enzo,” he replied with a shrug. “Has cool powers that can occasionally bring back the dead with these thingies called soul bonds. Like I said, long story.”

“Well, I have time,” Steve said in his Cap voice that said there was to be no arguing. Tony took a deep breath, sat down, and began with when he first woke up. The team let him tell his story without interruption. When he was finished, he sat back and released the breath he had been holding.

“So, yeah, that’s it,” he sighed. “Questions, comments, concerns?”

“Just one,” Clint deadpanned, levelling Tony with a serious look. “Who the hell knew Fury had a heart?” Tony grinned.

“Old man hides it well,” he agreed. Natasha was smiling at him with open affection in her eyes.

“I’m really glad you’re not dead, shellhead,” she murmured. Tony smirked.

“Me too.”

“Would you all mind giving us a moment?” Steve abruptly asked. Tony froze, turning to look at the soldiers with wide eyes. They were both staring back at him, faces blank and arms crossed over their chests.

“Sure,” Natasha said easily, gracefully rising to her feet and beckoning Clint. “Come on, birdbrain, we gotta go get Tony’s things from the dumpster.” Tony gasped.

“You threw all my stuff away?” he cried. Clint rolled his eyes.

“Course not, you nerd,” he chuckled. “Nat’s just kidding. Although we did donate the bots to a community college.”

“What?” Tony shrieked, jumping to his feet in outrage.

“Kidding, Stark,” Bruce reminded him, and Tony let out a relieved but annoyed huff. The three of them made their way out of the room. Thor glanced over at the Brooklyn Boys’ steely expressions, then back at Tony, who was silently pleading with him to not leave him alone. Thor shook his head and left, mumbling a few apologies on his way out. Tony didn’t blame him for fleeing; if he thought he could get away with it, he would, too.

“So, um, how have you guys been?” Tony tried. Bucky’s blue eyes flashed sharply.

“Awful,” he answered curtly.

“Oh, right,” Tony said lamely, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. _This is going well_ , he thought sarcastically.

“Look, Tony, I know you just got back and everything,” Steve began, but Tony knew what was coming. A pit of dread settled in his stomach. It was about what he said before he croaked. Saying ‘I love you’ to the two of them was fine when he was going to die, but since he had lived it was… awful. What the hell was he supposed to do besides move out?

“Alright, I’m going to stop you right there,” Tony interrupted, getting to his feet and backing away. Steve paused, and blinked in surprise. Both of the soldiers were tracking him with their eyes, which was unnerving. “I know what I said, and I’m sorry. I thought I was going to be dead so I wouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath. It was dick-ish of me to put that off on the two of you. So, again, I’m sorry, and can we please just forget it?”

“Tony, just hold on a second,” Bucky snapped. Tony quickly shut up, and stared at the soldier with wide eyes as he waited for the inevitable explosion. Instead, Bucky just took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, you said ‘I love you’ before… did you mean it?” Tony opened his mouth to say no, he didn’t, he was just making one last attempt at humor.

“And don’t lie,” Steve added, his eyes strangely desperate. “Please.” Tony’s resolve crumbled.

“Yes,” he whispered. “Yes, I meant it. Happy?” Bucky and Steve both got to their feet and started advancing toward him. Tony unconsciously backed up until his heel hit the wall.

“Who were you talking to?” Bucky was staring at him with an intense look in his eyes. Tony frowned.

“Excuse me?”

“Who were you saying ‘I love you’ to?” Steve reiterated. Tony blinked in surprise, because yeah, he hadn’t really specified. They had no idea who he was addressing.

“Did you guys know that ‘you’ can be plural?” Tony asked calmly. “As in, I could have been referring to the both of you?” Bucky and Steve jerked up and stared at the other, as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to either of them.

“You were?” Bucky breathed. Tony lifted a shoulder.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “And I know it’s awful, and I’m sorry, and we can just go back to the way things were?” Before he had even finished speaking, both of them were shaking their heads. Tony’s heart sunk in his chest; they were going to make him leave. He just got back, and they were going to make him leave.

“Hell no,” Steve whispered. “We just found out that the man we’re in love with loves us back, and you want us to forget it?” Tony’s head jerked up in shock.

“You love me?” he breathed, hardly daring to believe it. Their eyes, blue and impossibly tender, were gazing back at him like he was _worth_ something. Like he meant something to them _. Soul bonds_ , he heard Enzo say in his head. Their souls were _connected_.

“So, so much, kitten, you have no idea,” Bucky murmured, and then he was kissing Tony. His mouth was warm and dominating, and Tony quickly gave up control. Bucky’s hands, both flesh and metal, cupped his cheeks, and were gentle where his lips were rough. When the ex-assassin pulled away, Tony was breathless. Bucky’s steely blue eyes smoldered, and his reddened lips pulled up into a smirk.

“Um,” Tony said, trying to form a coherent thought. But before he could, Bucky was pulling away and Steve was taking his place. The blond super soldier leaned in, and claimed Tony’s mouth. Bucky kissed roughly, almost like he was punishing Tony for dying. But Steve kissed him reverently, like he still couldn’t believe that Tony was alive. Eventually, Tony came to his senses and jerked away.

“Wait, wait!” he cried, holding up his hands. The soldiers watched him with interest. “What- what do you want from me?” Bucky smiled.

“We want you,” he said simply. “All three of us, together.”

“And you think that would work?” Tony asked incredulously. He was still trying to wrap his head around it.

“Why not?” Steve shot back. “You love us. We love you. What’s the problem?”

“The problem,” Tony stressed, “is that you two have loved each other for over seventy years. Through death, and beyond that. How the hell could I come between that?” Both of the soldiers opened their mouths to protest, but Tony held up a hand. “No, please. You don’t get it. I don’t want to be anybody’s second choice. I don’t want to be what you guys use to spice up your sex life. I have survived a lot of things, including a bullet to the chest.” They flinched, but Tony pushed on. “But I don’t think I can survive you two.”

“Tony, you have to believe me,” Bucky pleaded. “I would never hurt you. And neither would Stevie. This isn’t a game. This is for real. You said you love me and him, right?” Tony nodded slowly. “Then how is that different? Loving me doesn’t mean you love him less. And loving him doesn’t mean you love me less. Well, it’s the same for us. Yeah, Steve is my past and my first love. But Tony, you’re the future. You’re _our_ future. And I couldn’t imagine one without you in it.” Tony sucked in a sharp breath, his heart swelling in his chest to the point of pain.

“You said you love us,” Steve reminded him gently. “Sometimes, love means taking a risk. It also means not walking away when you get scared. Planting your feet and fighting for what you want. We want you. You can walk away, Tony, that is your choice. But I will fight for you. And so will Bucky.”

Tony didn’t know what to say. His heart was in his throat, and he couldn’t believe how perfect they were. They always knew the right thing to say, to get him to pull his head out of his ass. It was one of the many, many reasons he loved them.

“No fighting necessary,” Tony whispered. “I’m not walking away. I- I want this. If you’ll have me, I’m yours.” The joy that spread across their faces absolutely did not cause Tony to well up with tears. Nope. Clint was a fucking liar.

“Does this mean we can come back in, now?” the archer called from the hallway. Tony laughed shakily as Steve and Bucky pulled him into their chests, squeezing him tightly.

“Ours,” Bucky growled, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“Ours,” Steve agreed. Tony hoped they never let him go.

+

“Hurry up, babe, or we’ll miss the reservations,” Steve reminded him. Tony grinned, and leaned over to press a chaste kiss to Steve’s mouth. Bucky made a grumbling noise in the back of his throat, and only stopped when Tony kissed him, too.

“I’ll just be a minute,” Tony promised, and hopped out of the car. The three of them were going to dinner at an old Italian restaurant Tony loved, despite his insistence that they could pick the place. It had been about two weeks since he got back, and everything was better than he could have ever imagined. The team had been very affectionate with him, much to the soldiers’ annoyance. Natasha would comb her fingers through his hair whenever she could, and Clint always wrapped an arm around his neck when they stood next to each other.

Thor decided that Tony was perfect for picking up, which was both embarrassing and fun. Bruce was subtle, but made sure to brush their arms together down in the lab in the quest for the right materials. Rhodey and Pepper had moved into the tower, and neither of them even tried to be subtle about touching him. They also weren’t subtle with the noises coming from the room they shared in the middle of the night. Tony was delighted that they found happiness with each other.

He was even happier that all of his soul bonds were right there, interacting with him. Except for one. Hence his presence at SHIELD headquarters.

Once he arrived at the door to Fury’s office, he rapped twice and waited patiently.

“Come in!” Fury called after a moment, and Tony opened the door. The man was standing in front of his desk, dressed in his usual black attire, complete with the eye-patch and the trench coat. He looked vaguely surprised to see Tony there. “Stark! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You haven’t visited me, Nicky,” Tony complained, strolling leisurely inside. “What, coming back from the dead doesn’t even warrant a drop-by? I’m hurt!” Fury rolled his eyes. Or, eye, rather.

“I’ve been busy, Stark,” he growled.

“Uh-huh,” Tony said with a smirk. “And I guess that’s why you’ve been having Clint and Nat drop by almost every day to tell you how I’m doing.” Fury’s eye went wide, and Tony swore he saw a blush darken the man’s cheeks.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Fury spluttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

“They’re my family, Nicky,” Tony sighed, feigning solemnity. “You don’t think I know what they do all day? I’m insulted, really. Oh, and Nicky? It’s okay to love me. Everyone else does.” Tony grinned and batted his eyes. Fury looked like he was ready to kill something. He stalked over to the engineer, and Tony was fairly sure he was going to get punched- worth it!- but then Fury did something Tony never thought he’d do. He pulled Tony into a hug.

Tony was so shocked for a moment that he just stood there. But after a moment, he eagerly returned the hug.

“So, I may have missed you,” Fury admitted gruffly. “Big deal.”

“Aww, Nicky,” Tony crooned, absolutely delighted. “You do have a heart!” Fury pulled away, looking like he was maybe fighting a smile.

“It appears I’ve grown soft,” Fury laughed. “Which is why, actually, I’ve been thinking about retiring. Making Phil the director.” Tony was surprised.

“Really?” He considered that for a moment. “You know, Hulk broke some of the tower a few weeks back, pre-return. It’s gonna be under construction anyways, so, you know,” Tony shrugged. “Wouldn’t be that big of a deal to add you a floor. If you want.” Tony expected Fury to immediately turn down the offer, but instead, Fury smiled.

“That would actually be nice, Tony,” he said softly. “I’m too damn old for this shit anymore. It would be nice to just relax for a while.” Tony snorted.

“Good luck with that!” he said with a smirk. “Clint enjoys starting prank wars and food fights. I think he’s really just a big kid in disguise.” Fury grinned.

“So long as nobody shoots at me, I’ll be good,” he informed Tony. The engineer decided not to tell him about the little slingshot war they had going on (that Clint was obviously winning).

“Well, I’ll let you know when your floor is ready, which should be in a day or two. Any special things you want put in?” Fury pondered for a moment before shrugging.

“Surprise me,” he decided simply. Tony nodded with a small smile. Challenge accepted. “Now get back to your boyfriends.” Tony sighed. Damn Clint and Nat.

“See ya soon, Nick,” he said as he left the office. When he got back down to the car, the soldiers were waiting for him. Tony opened the door and slid into the backseat (both had insisted it was safer; damn protective boyfriends).

“How’d it go?” Steve asked.

“He’s moving into the tower,” Tony replied with a shrug. He saw their surprised faces in the mirrors.

“Well, can’t really blame him,” Bucky eventually said with a grin. “You’re just too damn lovable.” Tony grinned.

“Damn straight!” he cried, finally believing it. “Now, let’s get a move on. Those reservations aren’t going to make themselves.” Steve started up the car, and they drove. About halfway down the street, Tony had a thought. “Huh, I wonder if I could get Enzo to move in.” Steve and Bucky groaned, smiling fondly at him. Tony decided he’d try tomorrow, after his last first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All done! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Well, what'd you think? Would you like it to continue? If so, what would you like to see? DID YOU LIKE ENZO?!?! Lemme know down below! :)


End file.
